Excelsior

2012 First Flush Margaret's Hope SFTGFOP1 from Mariage Frères

Excelsior drank 2012 First Flush Margaret's Hope SFTGFOP1 by Mariage Frères

400ml of water at 195F
1 heaping tablespoon of tea
Steep for 3 minutes
1/4 teaspoon of highly refined sugar

If you don’t like the grassy green taste of Darjeeling teas, then you may want to skip this one. The grassy taste is very pronounced in this tea, and it is immediately evident at the first sip. It is not astringent though and I happen to like the taste of this tea and year after year, it’s been a perennial favorite. The very small amount of sugar I add, takes the edge off the green taste.

If you can get over the initial taste, you may realize this tea is full of body and character. It stays smooth to the last drop. There is a slightly minty(?) note to this tea which is reminiscent of a light clove taste.

What I like about Spring Darjeelings from Mariage Freres are the different flavors each one has to offer. Some are nuetral, some are complex, some are light, and this Margaret’s Hope has a strong grassy flavor.

2012-08-14 03:55:43 -0400

195 °F / 90 °C

3 min 0 sec

I Like This

5 likes

0 comments

People who liked this

Profile

Bio

I’ve always had an interest in tea and it became a passion when I moved to work and live in Japan. There was a Mariage Tea Salon just three subway stations away from where I lived.

I tried the Darjeeling Princeton blend. It was fabulous. In the course of twenty three years, I tried all sorts of teas from Lupicia, Marine de Bourbon, Fortnum and Mason, Shiseido Tea Salon, Brooke Bond Tea Salon and countless others. Now, I primarily order Premium Spring/First Flush Darjeelings direct from Mariage Frères, France. Others teas I drink are Oolong Teas from Taiwan, Green and Red Rooibos from South Africa, and the Japanese Green Teas my wife always brings back from Japan.